Cathay Pacific first class review: Peak luxury or past its glory?

When departing HKG, first-class passengers are directed to the first-class wing in the check-in hall. This space is designed for efficiency rather than comfort, with stand-up counters and plenty of staff on hand. Note that these photos are from before the pandemic. I did not check in at HKG because I was in transit.

Cathay does not offer a personal escort through security for first-class passengers, or even priority security lane access, even at its home airport.

This contrasts significantly with my experience with Swiss in Zurich, where you are personally escorted with your carry-on bags carried for you, ushered through a private security lane and driven across the tarmac to the first-class lounge.

And that doesn’t even compare to Lufthansa’s completely separate first-class terminal in Frankfurt, from which you can be driven straight to your plane on the tarmac.

When departing Los Angeles, you’ll check in at the Cathay Pacific counter at the Tom Bradley International Terminal and then will have access to the Qantas first-class lounge.

At JFK, you’ll depart from Terminal 8 and access American Airlines’ Soho Lounge. However, from early 2026, Cathay Pacific will operate out of the brand-new Terminal 6, which will have only 10 gates and feature the carrier’s second U.S. lounge (after San Francisco).

My flight to Los Angeles didn’t actually start at HKG, but rather two hours away in Guangzhou, China, where I had spent three days sightseeing.

After checking out of the Grand Hyatt Guangzhou, I caught a 15-minute taxi ride to the centrally located Pazhou Ferry Terminal on the Pearl River. From there, I took a 2 1/2-hour ferry ride directly to the Hong Kong airport for $53.

I arrived at the recommended time of two hours before departure but could have easily cut that to just one hour. Having already checked in online 24 hours before departure, I dropped my bag at the Cathay Pacific check-in desk at the ferry terminal, with my bag tagged through to LAX.

All passengers went through Chinese immigration before boarding the boat, and the ferry left 15 minutes early, getting us to the airport 15 minutes early, too.

I enjoyed the beautiful sunset along the river. The ferry was very quiet, with less than 10% of the seats full, and affordable snacks and nonalcoholic drinks were available for purchase.

Upon arrival at HKG, I received a refund of 120 Hong Kong dollars ($15) for taxes, reducing the effective cost of the ferry ticket to $38.

This is an efficient, affordable and enjoyable way to see the Pearl River Delta, so I’d highly recommend this option if you are connecting to or from a nearby city in China, including Shenzhen and Macau. More information is available on HKG’s ferry transport page.

After a 20-minute wait at security between the ferry terminal and the airport terminal, I caught the people-mover to the main terminal. (I did not pass through Hong Kong immigration as I was considered a transit passenger.)

I had a plan for my four-hour layover at the airport: Go straight to The Pier first-class lounge for dinner and then to The Wing first-class lounge for a bath. The Pier has showers, which more than suffice to freshen up, but The Wing has a limited number of day suites with bathtubs, so I wanted to try my luck to see if I could snag one.

(Note that The Wing is due to close for renovation in 2025 and reopen in 2026.)

The Pier first-class lounge is my favorite airport lounge I’ve ever visited. It feels like an upscale members club; its design is exclusive but not too self-contained.

There is plush carpet throughout, lending a sophisticated and luxurious feel. Its thoughtfully designed layout, with clearly separated areas for dining, the bar, a business center, relaxation areas and shower facilities, means that it stays quiet.

The first thing I did was head straight to the spa counter to request a massage. There was a 2 1/2-hour wait and I was given a buzzer to notify me when they were ready. The bathroom attendant didn’t speak English, so we had to use a translation app to communicate.

Then, I went to the dining room, which was only 20% full at 9 p.m.

Catering is provided by the popular Hong Kong restaurant Mott 32. The rotating menu has ample options but is not overwhelming as it fits on one page, with a one-page drinks menu, too. I was told the menu changes every couple of weeks or months.

There is an even split between Asian options (like prawn and pork dumplings and forest mushroom soup) and Western plates (such as a wagyu beef burger and gnocchi).

I tried a mix of the cuisines across a three-course meal, which was enjoyable, but nothing wowed me in the flavor department.

The service was professional and speedy but I’ll note that it was almost too fast; all three courses came out within five minutes. I suggest asking them to slow down if you want to enjoy your food a more leisurely pace, or simply ordering one dish at a time. However, the speedy turnaround is great if you have a quick layover.

After finishing dinner, I went to the reception desk to ask if they could reserve a day cabana (or suite) at The Wing first-class lounge for me. I did this because:

• There are only five day suites.
• They are on a first-come, first-served basis.
• I missed out on one the other two times I visited The Wing.
• I didn’t want to have to make the 15- to 20-minute trek between the lounges if a cabana was unavailable.

Surprisingly, they were happy to hold the one remaining cabana for me if I rushed over there.

As opposed to The Pier, The Wing is a more open concept, located on a mezzanine level above the terminal. That means it’s louder than The Pier; however, the dining room is in an enclosed area and does not have as much noise overflow.

I headed straight to the spa area, where a staff member came over to translate for me with the attendants, who did not speak English, and led me to my cabana.

The rushed walk from the other lounge was worth it because I got to enjoy a huge, tranquil suite away from the airport bustle. You get 90 minutes to use the cabana but I was on a time crunch, so I was only in there for half an hour.

I undressed and placed my shirt and pants in a cupboard, where I pressed a button and they came back ironed about 15 minutes later.

However, I hope the airline improves this experience during the renovation by providing bath salts (soap alone doesn’t cut it), universal power outlets, relaxing music, better soundproofing (you can hear nearby gate announcements) and water bottles (90 minutes is a long time without hydration).

After my bath, I headed back to The Pier for a calming 15-minute neck and shoulder massage.

I then tried two yummy desserts: a rich chocolate tart and a sweet bean soup.

Then I sprinted the 15 minutes back to my gate — which was, of course, right next to The Wing lounge, where I’d just come from. Maybe I needed another bath after the second walk.

Boarding commenced on time, with first-class passengers the first to board.

However, the entire business-class cabin (up to 53 passengers in total) boarded through the front door and passed through the first-class cabin rather than going through the second door, which is located between the two business-class sections.

We departed 25 minutes late and arrived at LAX 20 minutes later than scheduled.

How comfortable was first class on Cathay Pacific?

Cathay Pacific’s 777-300ERs with first-class cabins have six open suites — quite an intimate number — set up in a 1-1-1 configuration.

The cabin has gray and maroon finishes and dark gray flooring at seats that shows scuff marks. I would love to see some of Cathay’s signature green color incorporated into the cabin, like it is in business class.

With no overhead lockers, you’ll store your belongings in a large closet at the front of your seat. It can fit a backpack or a small carry-on suitcase but struggles with a larger one. You can hang your clothes on two hangers.

I would have appreciated being proactively offered a seat tour, as it had been six years since I’d flown this product. I didn’t know where to store my backpack but I worked it out after seeing where other passengers stored their luggage.

The 25-inch manual, fold-out dining table can be adjusted forward and back to allow you to easily move in and out of the seat between courses. Another passenger can dine with you since the ottoman has its own seatbelt.

The 18-inch high-definition touchscreen slides out but does not tilt down for watching entertainment while in lie-flat mode.

The game console-style touchscreen remote and the seat control panel, which control the entertainment system, lights and seat functions, did the trick but felt well behind some of Cathay’s competitors.

There is limited storage within arm’s reach, so if you have a tablet or laptop, it’ll need to go in the narrow compartment, which is exposed to the aisle and requires you to stand up to reach it.

Device-charging options are limited, with only one universal power outlet and one USB-A outlet.

Each window seat has three windows with manual shades. I kept these down the whole time as this was a red-eye flight.

While the technology felt outdated, the most important feature of the hard product when flying 12-plus hours across an ocean is getting a solid sleep — and Cathay definitely delivers in that area.

I got four hours’ sleep on this flight — and forced myself to wake up to adjust to Pacific time. The two soft pillows, thick mattress topper and breathable duvet from English luxury brand Bamford made for a delightful rest. And while there are no individual air nozzles, the cabin was kept quite chilly — without my asking — making it easy to sleep.

Amenities in Cathay Pacific first class

Waiting at my seat for me were two lumbar support pillows, one neck pillow and a plush, maroon blanket on the ottoman.

When it’s sleep time, you can choose soft, medium or firm options from the pillow menu.

I loved the breathable, organic cotton pajamas with a mandarin collar from local brand PYE. The matching slippers were comfortable, too.

The Bamford-branded amenity kit came in a small leather pouch. The eye mask was very soft and comfortable and there were high-end Bamford skincare products, including lip balm, face mist, moisturizer and a grooming kit. However, the plastic toothbrush and mouthwash looked more low-brow in comparison.

There was seemingly no order to the selection of movies, meaning you had to scroll through a lot to get an idea of what was on offer; however, I could filter by genre. There was a large selection of both Western and Asian entertainment, including new releases such as “Joker: Folie a Deux,” “The Penguin” and “Speak No Evil.”

But there were three minutes of ads before starting any movie, which is annoying and takes away from the premium feel of the experience.

The provided Bose headphones were noise-canceling and worked well.

Complimentary, unlimited Wi-Fi is available to first-class passengers. However, you can only have one device connected at a time, so you might need to switch between devices. The connection dropped out twice during my flight and the download speeds varied greatly — between 2 and 35 Mbps — with the upload speeds not exceeding 1 Mbps.

There are two bathrooms at the front of the cabin, which is generous for six passengers, with one slightly larger than the other. There were nice touches like cotton hand towels rather than paper ones, but that was only in the larger bathroom. Both bathrooms had Bamford body lotion and facial cleanser and mist. However, the smaller one’s sink didn’t drain properly for the entire flight.

How was the food in Cathay Pacific first class?

Soon after settling into my seat, I was brought a warm towel, jasmine tea and a thoughtful, handwritten welcome note from the two-member first-class cabin crew.

Then, warmed nuts were served; however, my empty tea cup and trash were not removed for 15 minutes.

Cathay first class offers dine-on-demand, meaning you can choose to eat as much from the menu as you want whenever you want throughout the flight.

I chose to eat “supper” straight away and the meal service commenced 20 minutes after takeoff.

Cathay partners with Hong Kong restaurants Duddell’s (for Cantonese cuisine) and Louise (for French cuisine); each restaurant has one Michelin star. The carrier’s signature wonton noodles are provided by local chain Mak’s Noodle.

I started with a refreshing Cathay Delight (a nonalcoholic drink blending kiwi, coconut milk and mint) and an amuse-bouche (chilled prawn topped with a delicious radish).

Then, a meticulously arranged caviar platter was served. (This 20-gram caviar tin is from London-based King’s and retails for around $45.)

I did not have an accompanying glass of Champagne, which was a choice of 2004 Krug (retailing for over $400) or 2013 Rare by Piper-Heidsieck ($200).

The rest of the white, red and dessert wines retailed for an average of $85 a bottle and included the following:

• Lamblin & Fils Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume, Burgundy, France, 2017
• Craggy Range Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough, New Zealand, 2022
• Chateau Lynch-Bages, Bordeaux, France, 2009
• Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Maison Bleue, Rhone Valley, France, 2018
• Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia, 2014
• Warre’s Otima Colheita Tawny Port, Portugal, 1995

Next up was a flavorful starter of abalone and forest mushrooms.

You can preselect your main course from the “Cathay Signatures” and inflight seasonal menus between 10 days and 24 hours before departure. Options available year-round include:

• Lamb shoulder confit with spiced jus
• Braised abalone with shiitake mushroom and pomelo pith with shrimp roe
• Steamed beancurd parcels with assorted mushrooms and pumpkin sauce

The seasonal menu on my flight included:

• Smoked ricotta and spring onion cappellacci pasta with butter sauce
• Steamed chicken with morel mushrooms and goji berries

I had preselected the signature wok-fried seafood in lobster broth, but wished I hadn’t as the excess of broth drowned out the rice. (Swipe below to see what I was expecting.)

I wrapped up my meal on a light note, with chrysanthemum and longan jelly, dark and milk chocolates, and peppermint tea, provided by British brand Jing Tea.

After my four-hour “nap,” I woke up to order an oat-milk latte. Some airlines will also serve an accompanying cookie or chocolate, but that was not the case here.

I was served breakfast within 10 minutes of ordering, starting with a warm bread basket with a buttery croissant and a crisp, fresh fruit plate.

However, I was disappointed by the poached eggs and smoked salmon topped with hollandaise sauce, all of which were a bit bland.

How was the service in Cathay Pacific first class?

The two cabin crew members attended to the five passengers in the cabin on my flight.

The attendant on my side was professional and friendly, always referring to me by my last name. They were also proactive most of the time, including providing a quick turndown service straight after dinner. They responded to the call button twice, both times within 10 seconds.

However, they missed a couple of service steps, such as promptly removing trash, bringing a napkin for breakfast and replacing silverware between courses.

The second crew member, who stepped in during the other’s rest time, lagged one minute in their response time to my ringing the call bell. We also had a few communication difficulties in English.

On the ground, I found the front desk lounge staff to be very welcoming and accommodating, especially in helping me secure a day cabana. However, I was frustrated by an inability to communicate with the bathroom attendants at both lounges.

Is Cathay Pacific first class worth it?

A lot of time has passed since my last experience in Cathay Pacific first class, and it did not feel as luxurious and aspirational this time.

I had high hopes for this flight, given my two previous flights in the cabin blew me away in terms of the comfort of the seat and bed, delicious food, and top-notch service. This time, the seats felt like they were showing their age, and my food selections were not as exciting.

Cathay Pacific — and, more broadly, Hong Kong’s visitor numbers — declined due to political unrest leading into the pandemic, and then Hong Kong was heavily affected by lockdowns. The airline reported financial losses and is still in recovery mode, partly due to a slow international tourism rebound.

The airline has identified the need to innovate by investing in a new business-class seat and the renovation of its lounges at its hub. But a new first-class seat is realistically a couple of years away, given the delays in delivery of new aircraft.

For now, if you can find rare award availability in Cathay Pacific first class, then I’d say grab it — especially if that flight is departing Hong Kong, where you can enjoy its excellent lounges.

However, I don’t think it’s worth going out of your way to try this product. If you want to fly first class to Asia, I would recommend flying the newest products on ANA or Japan Airlines to Tokyo or Starlux Airlines to Taipei, Taiwan.

Is Cathay Pacific getting rid of first class?

Cathay Pacific plans to remove the current first-class seats from its Boeing 777-300ERs in the second half of this decade. That’s because it has started to retrofit these aircraft with an expanded “Aria Suites” business-class cabin, which is now flying on select routes, including to London.

Then, the airline intends to install a completely new first-class product on its upcoming flagship Boeing 777-9 aircraft, which are slated for delivery from 2026, though that might be pushed back. Dubbed “Halo Suites,” we still don’t have a clear picture of what these new fixtures will look like, though the airline did apply for a patent in 2019 along with accompanying cabin plans that suggest the suites will be enormous hybrid sitting, sleeping and living spaces. However, it’s likely we’ll see a reduction in seat count from the current six to four, making these more difficult to book with points.

If you’re looking for one last chance to experience Cathay Pacific’s 777-300ER first class before it disappears, an award redemption using Asia Miles is your best bet. While the current product is showing its age, Cathay Pacific is poised to remain a key player in the world of premium aviation — and whether you’re booking now or holding out for the future, the experience is sure to be an unforgettable one.

Related: 9 amazing first-class seats you can book with points and miles